The present invention is directed to sample display devices and more particularly to color sample fan decks for use in selecting paint colors.
Merchants who sell paint typically provide color samples of their paint to assist customers in selecting paint having a desired color and texture. Conventionally, multiple color samples are arranged on a single piece of heavy paper or cardboard, commonly referred to as a color card or a color strip. In a typical color strip, the color samples comprise small rectangular chips or swatches, each having an area less than about 2 square inches. The swatches are of different colors and are arranged in close proximity to each other on one side of the color strip. Usually, the swatches are different tints and shades of a particular hue. A conventional color strip typically has a length of about 8 to about 10 inches and a width of about 1.5 to about 2 inches.
Color strips are often displayed in a fan deck, wherein the color strips are arranged in a stack disposed between outer cover panels composed of a thin flexible plastic, cardboard or some other semi-rigid material. The color strips are held together between the cover panels by a pin or a rod that extends through aligned openings in the color strips. The color strips may be pivoted along the shaft in a plurality of directions so as to permit the color strips to be fanned out, which permits a large number of the color strips to be viewed at one time.
In conventional fan decks, the outer cover panels do not hold the color strips in place and do not provide much protection for the color strips when the fan deck is being handled or transported. As a result, the color strips often become bent, frayed or otherwise damaged during handling or transportation.
In order to better protect color strips in a fan deck, it has been proposed to enclose the color strips in a case or housing, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,104,809 to Day et al., U.S. Des. Pat. No. 266,543 to Reiss, U.S. Des. Pat. No. 275,337 to Forcan and U.S. Des. Pat. No. 275,817 to Keyser. The fan decks disclosed in these patents, however, are rather complicated and do not contain ergonomic features that facilitate the handling of the fan decks.
Based on the foregoing, there is a need in the art for a fan deck that protects paint color strips and has ergonomic features that facilitate the handling of the fan deck. The present invention is directed to such a fan deck.
It therefore would be desirable, and is an advantage of the present invention, to provide a fan deck that includes a case and at least one color strip. The case includes a center wall joined between a pair of side walls. Each of the side walls has a longitudinal free edge. At least one of the free edges has a plurality of undulations formed therein. The color strip includes at least one color swatch and has a free edge with a plurality of undulations formed therein. The color strip is connected to the case for movement between an extended position, wherein a majority of the color strip is not disposed between the side walls, and a retracted position, wherein a majority of the color strip is disposed between the side walls. When the color strip is in the retracted position, one of the undulations in the color strip is aligned with one of the undulations in the case.